


One Step Closer

by solange54



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: F/M, Inej always gotta be entering through that window sill aint she, Kaz is trying his best, idk some sweet fluffy slightly angsty stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:51:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9417302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solange54/pseuds/solange54
Summary: Inej is back after a long voyage and finds herself perched in a familiar spot.





	

It had been a full year since Inej had last seen him. Every time she had received a letter in his jagged scrawl she had pictured his hunched over figure back at the Crow Club, face illuminated as he wrote by candlelight. It was the same scene she saw now from the windowsill she had so often perched upon. For a long time she just watched, soaking up every detail that had been lost to her on the open waters.  


His head was bent, strands of dark hair had fallen loose and brushed his forehead as he wrote- not the letters to Inej, but ledgers passed down from Per Haskell. Kaz was squinting at the numbers, mouth moving silently.  


As soon as Inej placed her foot down on the wooden floor Kaz spoke, “What business, Wraith?” He turned to her and she thought she saw a hint of a smirk hidden behind his sharp features. The smirk of an old shared joke.  


Inej smiled and pulled the rest of her limber body through the window. “Shore leave. Two weeks this time.” Last time it had only been one. She had wanted to be sure her and her crew wouldn’t have to deal with the risk of running into the heavy rains and the treacherous waves that came during the stormier months.  


Kaz said nothing, only looked at her as she had just moments before. As he did, Inej found her own gaze drawn to the pale skin of his bare hands. Jesper had mentioned to her, when he had come with Wylan to greet her at the dock, that he had been wearing them less often since she had left. Only when he left the confines of a room or had a job would he put them back on. Jesper had said it with a knowing grin and raised eyebrows but Inej payed no mind, for inside she felt the small flame of hope in her chest burn a little brighter, a little warmer.  


That same flame danced in her chest when Kaz pushed his hand across the surface of the desk towards her, palm open and inviting. Inej came closer to the desk and seated herself on the edge next to him. Slowly, she placed her hand in his and waited until his long, soft fingers intertwined with her rough calloused ones before she gave his hand a comforting squeeze.  


“Talk to me,” Kaz rasped, and she did. Inej sat there next to him, looking down at him as she retold of her adventures out on sea, growing more and more passionate as she went on. Who knew she was a storyteller. She told him a tale of every slaver ship that her and her crew had overtaken that year and it wasn’t long before Inej noticed just how relaxed Kaz looked. He was smiling softly, shoulders no longer stiff with tension, his thumb idly brushing over one of the scars across her knuckles. Again, the flame in her chest filled her with warmth.  


She told him about the girls that had chosen to join her crew, the ones with nowhere to go. She had taken them under her wing in training, given them something to live for, and most importantly found them a family in the crew.  


“…They wanted to thank you.”  


Kaz raised an eyebrow. “Thank me for what?”  


“Helping to give them the opportunity for something better than the life they were heading towards. I couldn’t be out there doing these things if it wasn’t for you, Kaz.” She squeezed his hand again. “They thank you as equally as they thank me for their freedom.”  


Inej’s eyes were shining in the candlelight, as if she was once again looking for something decent and moral in the boy everyone else called Dirtyhands, except there was no need to search for that anymore. Inej knew the many things Kaz was and a bastard was not one of them.  


Kaz drew his brows together and pondered over what she had said. Inej could practically see him turning the words over in his mind. “I suppose I have Specht to thank for my new groupies.”  


Inej chuckled. It was true, during meal times Specht was always telling tales of Kaz and Inej back during the Ice Court heist. “Oh come on Kaz, you like feeling appreciated. We both know it.”  


“Well, it does help fuel my God complex.”  


They both laughed at that, and when the laughter died down they were both left with stupid grins and slightly wet eyes. “ _Saints_ I’ve missed you,” Inej let the thought slip out without a second thought. Kaz’s features fell and Inej could have sworn he held her hand a little tighter. The tension returned to his body and he took a breath. Then slowly, almost painfully so, brought Inej’s hand close to his lips. He paused, dark eyes searching hers for an answer.  


She nodded. _Go on._   


He closed his eyes and tilted his head low. His warm lips grazed the surface of her hand with a gentleness that made her legs feel like jelly. A tremor went through him but he did not pull away; he stayed, lips hovering above the spot that they just touched.  


Inej’s heart was racing and she knew Kaz’s was as well- though for a different reason. His hand shifted under hers, moving up to her wrist before stopping. Inej didn’t question why, just kept her hand limp and still for him. He took a long breath and opened his eyes, the wave of panic fading from his eyes, now replaced with something else. Want. A desire for something out of reach. It was a feeling Inej knew well, and now as she stared into his searching eyes she saw it reflected back at her.  


Before she could stop herself Inej raised her free hand and held it near his head. It stayed there. This time it was his turn to nod. Ever so carefully so as not to touch skin, Inej reached forward and brushed back the strands of hair that were out of place. His hair was soft. She lightly ran her fingers through it once, mimicking the way Kaz did when he was stressed, and watched as he leaned into her touch.  


They sat like that for a while, both perfectly content in their shared silence, hand in hand while Inej continued to stroke his hair back. _This is enough,_ she thought but she still couldn’t shake that feeling of longing that settled heavy in her gut. She closed her eyes and smiled. _It's enough for me._  


Finally she let her hand fall to his shoulder. “It’s getting late.”  


“Stay,” he whispered almost desperately. Inej stilled. “Spend the night here. If you want to, that is.”  


Inej looked over to the bed Kaz kept pressed up against the wall in the opposite corner of the room. The bed was neatly made and the blankets seemed to be signing to her to come rest her aching muscles, but it was small; only meant for one person. “What about you?”  


Kaz gestured to the stack of papers still sprawled over the desk. “I’ve still got some matters to attend to,” he sent them a sour look. “Regrettably.”  
It was then Inej noticed the darker-than-usual circles beneath his eyes. Still, Inej knew there was no use trying to reason with him, especially when it came to matters like sleep and health in general. She nodded, “Alright then, but I do expect breakfast in bed, _Mr. Brekker._ ” She released Kaz’s hand and pushed herself off the desk.  


Kaz gave one last smile before turning his back to her, setting his focus back to the papers before him.  


Inej kicked off her slippers and took off her vest and hood before climbing underneath Kaz’s cool sheets. She curled up onto her side so that she could still keep him in her view, even if it was just his back. She let her eyes close and breathed in. The blankets smelled like him. She pulled them closer around her and let herself imagine that maybe, just maybe he was lying next to her in that too small bed. But even under the layers of blankets, the space next to her was too cold for it to be true. She pushed the fantasy out of her head. Even when he finally was, would she be ready to share a bed with someone, to fall asleep in another’s arms, to wake up and find them gone..?  


She breathed deep again, feeling the tug of sleep pulling at the edges of her mind.  


_One day. One day we will both be ready._ Tonight had been one step closer to that goal. For both of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Haha I know this whole 'Inej coming back after a voyage and proceeding to have fluffy times with Kaz' is probably hella overused but I love it and there will never be enough. If you liked it or have any suggestions please leave a comment, it will be much appreciated! c:


End file.
